


Driving Home for Christmas

by stormonmyskin



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:50:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13125030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormonmyskin/pseuds/stormonmyskin
Summary: James has nowhere to go over Christmas, so Robbie steps in.





	1. 22nd December

It was 5.23pm on December 22nd, and James and Robbie were in their office, preparing to go home for Christmas, for the first time in years.

James was dragging his feet, deliberately taking his time over turning off his computer and tidying his desk.

He did not want to go home.

He hadn’t had a Christmas off in years, and there was a reason for that. He volunteered to work Christmas. Every year. Except this year, Innocent had actually had time to check back through the previous years’ rotas and seen that neither Robbie nor James had had a Christmas off in 5 years.

So now James was staring down the barrel of 12 straight days off work, alone in his bare flat. And he was not looking forward to it.

“You alright?” Robbie asked, almost absent-mindedly. James’ dallying had become noticeable, and Robbie was waiting to go.

“Hm?” James looked up.

Robbie frowned. “Young thing like you should be champing at the bit to get out of here for almost two weeks. You don’t seem like you are.” His frown deepened. “You do have plans for Christmas, don’t you? God, how have I not asked you that yet?” he added, to himself.

They’d been overloaded with cases recently, with James still writing up the reports from the previous one even as Robbie’s phone was ringing to call them to another body. They’d bounced from one investigation to the next, with nary a day off in a month, and no time at all to think, really. Innocent had summoned them to her office a couple of weeks ago to inform she didn’t want to see their skins around the nick over the festive period. They hadn’t had time to ask after each other’s plans, and suddenly they were about to leave for Christmas and he had no idea what James was planning to do.

James had not answered his question, though, and was looking uncomfortable. Robbie knew there was a denial coming as soon as James opened his mouth. “I – yes.”

Robbie’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, yes? Anything nice?”

James hesitated again. Robbie knew that he found it difficult to lie outright to his governor’s face, and so bluntness usually got him places when namby-pambying wouldn’t have.

James sighed. “No, as it happens. Midnight mass, and then, I think, Christmas telly and beer.”

Robbie was appalled. James was spending Christmas on his own? Why hadn’t the daft lad said anything? Why hadn’t Robbie thought to ask before now? He cursed himself.

Apparently his disgust was showing on his face, because James immediately began to protest. “It’s fine, sir.”

“It most certainly is not fine,” Robbie countered instantly, angry, but his face and voice were soft, gentle. “No, no. I’ll not have you alone on Christmas on my watch, not if I can do anything about it.” He pursed his lips, then turned back to his desk and picked up the phone, hurriedly dialling Lyn’s number.

Robbie was going to Lyn and Tim’s for Christmas; his eldest granddaughter, Maddy, was three, and there was the newborn Holly, who was only 2 months old. He’d been up to visit Lyn in hospital after she was born, but hadn’t had chance to get up since then. Lyn had asked him to go for Christmas when she’d found out he had it off, and he knew she’d be glad to have him there to help entertain Maddy and help with the cooking.

She answered the phone with an affectionate “Hi Dad! Everything okay?”

“Hiya love. It’s all fine, don’t worry. Look, I don’t want to stress you out even more, but I was just wondering…would you have space for an extra one for Christmas?” James immediately began to protest, but Robbie shushed him as Lyn spoke again.

“Erm…well, it depends who it is, really,” she said. “The spare room has two single beds in, so you’d have to be prepared to share a room.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’d be fine. It’s just that my sergeant, James – I’ve just found out he was going to be spending Christmas on his own, and I can’t have that.”

“Oh, no, no, absolutely not,” Lyn agreed. “Well, if you’re prepared to share, then it’s no problem at all – an extra pair of hands for me!” she said, a smile in her voice.

“Aye, I thought as much. Well, if that’s alright, thanks, love.”

 

As soon as he’d hung up, James rounded on him. “Sir, I absolutely protest. I cannot possibly infringe on Lyn’s hospitality – she’s a brand-new baby, she doesn’t need a houseful at Christmas – I’m not even family – I don’t want to be a burden. Honestly, it’s fine.”

Robbie shook his head. “She’s said yes now, James. Surely you don’t want to spend Christmas on your own? Besides, if you pull out now, Lyn will think she’s done something to upset you or something.” It was below the belt, and Robbie knew it, but he also knew James would be unable to entertain the notion of upsetting his daughter.

“I…” James hesitated, looking torn, and Robbie knew he had won. Clearly James wanted to go, was tempted by the family Christmas Robbie was offering, but the desire to not be a nuisance, to not overstep and ask too much, was strong.

“James?” Robbie’s voice interrupted his spiralling panic and indecision. “James, I want you to come with me for Christmas. I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t. And Lyn wouldn’t have said yes if she didn’t. We want you there, James.”

“Well, I…if you’re sure…” His cheeks coloured, and he looked at Robbie through his eyelashes. “I’d… I’d really like that, sir. Thank you.”

“Right,” Lewis said, inwardly relieved. “Good.” He paused. “And whilst we’re away, it’s not sir, alright. It’s Robbie.”

James nodded jerkily, looking a bit stunned. He numbly pressed the button to turn off his computer screen, and then bent to pick up his bag. “I’d better go and start packing, then, sir. When do we leave? I’m happy to drive us.” Robbie was quite pleased to hear that, actually, and willing to take James up on his offer. “I was due to get there tomorrow evening, so I was thinking of leaving around 2pm, or thereabouts, to try and avoid the worst of the rush hour.”

James nodded again. “Okay then. I will be at yours for 1.30pm, just to be on the safe side.” He was mentally compiling a list of things he would need to get from town the next morning. He had no presents for anyone, not anticipating needing to get any (well, he had actually bought Maddy and the baby a small toy each, just a token really. They were in his bag, he’d been intending to give them to Lewis to take with him, but now he felt he ought to get something a little more). Presents for Maddy and Holly, Lyn and Tim, and – god help him, what was he going to get his boss?

 

As soon as he got back to his flat he retrieved his case from above his wardrobe and packed quickly, selecting soft knitted jumpers, plaid shirts and dark jeans. He didn’t need much else, just squeezed in a few stacks of underwear – he wasn’t sure how long they were staying and preferred to have too many than too few pairs – and left a space for his toilet bag. He would take trainers and shoes, and as an afterthought, he added his slippers to the pile, before he remembered he needed pyjamas. He selected his warmest pair of long-sleeved, long-trousered pyjamas, aware that he would be sharing a room with his boss. He’d probably need a hat, scarf and gloves, but they would just go in the car with his coat the next day.

With the knowledge that he was prepared for the trip now, he took a sigh of relief and set about making himself dinner and perusing the internet for potential gifts for the family so he had a set plan the next morning – he wouldn’t have long to shop, as he needed to get them home and wrapped before being at Lewis’ by 1.30pm.


	2. 23rd December

The next morning, 9.14am found James cursing to himself as he tried to weave his way through the packed high streets of Oxford. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who’d had the idea of coming into town early. Fortunately, he didn’t have many shops to visit: his first port of call was the toy shop for Maddy and Holly’s gifts, followed by a trip to Waterstones to get a couple of books for Robbie, and a calendar for Lyn and Tim, and finally to Marks and Spencer, where he was planning on picking up hats and scarves for Lyn and Tim, and a hat, scarf and gloves for his boss, who had suffered in the cold weather recently. And while he was there, he’d decided to try and recompense Lyn and Tim for the extra expense of having him there, and was going to get a few bottles and some sweet treats for them.

By the time he pulled up outside Robbie’s at 1.30pm, he was shaking. He’d been overcome with doubt whilst wrapping, and had nearly called Robbie to tell him he couldn’t go. He’d been on the verge of inventing a sick or injured family member whom he’d been called to, but his conscience hadn’t let him lie. So he’d packed his car, prepared his flat for an extended absence, and driven to Robbie’s, telling himself all the time that he was making a mistake and he should back out. Just call Robbie and tell him you’re ill. Tell him you’ve fallen and broken your leg – no, don’t do that. If he invented illness or injury for himself, Robbie would abandon all plans of going to Manchester and decamp to James’ for Christmas.

Even then, sat outside Robbie’s, knowing he should go and knock, he was having an argument with himself, tempted to just start the car and go back home, tell Robbie he couldn’t go.

 _Don’t be stupid_ , he told himself, and then he was out of the car and at Robbie’s door, he was knocking. _Too late to back out now!_

Robbie was just pulling his coat on as he opened the door. His suitcase and bags of presents were just inside the door, so as he stood back to let James in, his sergeant quickly stooped and gathered the bags.

“Oh, lad, you don’t have to…” Robbie began to protest, but James already had them halfway to the car. He stowed the suitcase in the boot with his own, then nestled the bags of presents in the back seat besides the ones from him.

Robbie was just locking his front door when he turned back, and he sent him a small smile as he came down the steps, and went around to open the passenger door.

The drive went okay until they hit the M6 just north of Birmingham, at which point they hit solid traffic. Robbie had fallen asleep to the radio – tuned to Radio 2, for the traffic updates – which was playing back to back Christmas tunes – and James couldn’t help but moan when, just as he reluctantly came to a halt, he heard the opening bars of [Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea](https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjGztjvyKLYAhUBBsAKHebvAEMQyCkILDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTHcbQyFtCqg&usg=AOvVaw02xnk41Jk0Q2GBx4_CLJFs).

It was stop-start crawling for the next hour, which Robbie slept contentedly through, until eventually James decided it was probably best to call Lyn and let her know they would be late, so nudged Robbie awake.

“Sir.” Keeping one eye on the car in front, he gently jostled his boss. “Sorry to wake you, sir.”

Robbie blinked awake and looked around, stretching. “Alright, lad?”

“All good, sir. It’s just that we’re stuck in quite a lot of traffic – I think you should call your daughter to let her know we’ll be late so she doesn’t worry.”

“Oh, right. Okay. Yes, that’s probably a good idea. Where are we?” “Just outside Stoke, sir. I think we’ve only done about 15 miles in the last hour.”

“Oh, bloody hell,” Robbie groaned. “Okay, yeah, you’re right. Thanks for waking me up.”

 

It was quite late indeed when they finally turned onto Lyn’s road – it had long since gone dark, and Robbie had fallen asleep again – though James had woken him when he arrived in Manchester. The total journey time ended up at 6 hours 40 minutes – including a comfort break - when James neatly parallel parked into a space outside Lyn’s house and turned the engine off.

“Well done, lad,” Robbie said, laying a hand on James’ knee. “Thanks very much. That must have been bloody horrible.”

“Well, we’re here now,” James said, undoing his seatbelt and opening his door. “I’ll get the bags – you go and see Lyn.”

He opened the boot and retrieved the two suitcases, then the rear passenger door to get the Christmas presents. He heard Robbie’s door shut, then Lyn’s gate opened, and then he heard the front door open and squealing erupted as Lyn greeted her dad.

He retrieved his coat, scarf, hat and gloves from the back-parcel shelf, and shut the passenger door, then turned to head up the path, following Robbie.

“James!” His vision was abruptly obscured by a cloud of dark hair in his face, as Lyn hugged him in greeting. Arms weighed down by the heavy bag, he was unable to return the embrace, just awkwardly bid her Merry Christmas.

“Let the man in, pet,” Robbie said, laughing. “He’s had a long drive.”

Lyn stood back. “Sorry, James. I’m just so glad you were able to join us.”

“I’m very grateful for the invitation,” he said with a smile. “I apologise for us being late. I hope it hasn’t caused any inconvenience.”

“Oh, not at all.” She seemed to notice his heavy bags. “Oh, I’m sorry. Come in, come in.”

 

He put the suitcases at the bottom of the stairs, as instructed, and placed the numerous gift bags by the door into the living room, ready to go under the tree later. Then they were ushered into the dining room where the table was laid and Lyn’s partner Tim was just setting out plates of chicken casserole, quiche, new potatoes and rice salad. There were wine glasses and water on the table.

“I hope you’re hungry,” he said by way of greeting, chuckling. “Nice to see you, Rob,” he smiled. “I’m so pleased you could join us, James. I hear you had a tough journey.”

“I’ve had better,” James said with a shrug. “This all smells delicious, so I think it was worth the drive.”

 

After dinner, they put the presents under the tree, and then Robbie sat with a drink, chatting and catching up with his daughter. All James wanted, however, was to go to bed. It had been a long day for him, up early, busy, and then a long drive which had required a lot of concentration in the stop-start traffic. He tried to take part in the conversation, but the effort it took to keep paying attention was beyond him.

Noticing how shattered he looked, Tim said, “James, lad, you look ready to pass out. Let me show you up to your room.”

James staggered to his feet and murmured his thanks to Lyn, and goodnight to Robbie. He bent to get the suitcases at the foot of the stairs, but Tim beat him to it, and deftly unlocked the stairgate barring them entry. He looked over his shoulder at James. “The trials of having a three-year old,” he said wryly as James followed him through

When Robbie went up to take his suitcase up half an hour later, James was passed out in bed, lying on his front, sleeping like a baby. He looked exhausted, and Robbie abruptly felt terrible for not having shared the drive. He’d dozed in the passenger seat whilst James had toiled through the endless traffic. As a small concession to his guilt, he padded over to the bed in which his sergeant slept, and tucked the duvet back in around him where he’d flung it off in his sleep.


	3. 24th December

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas Eve...

The next morning, James was awake first, and looked over to see his boss flat on his back, sleeping soundly. He smiled, pleased to see him so peaceful, and peeled back the duvet, quietly going about his morning ablutions and dressing carefully so as not to wake him.

  
It was still early when James got downstairs – he was used to getting up early, with his job, so he was naturally awake. Lyn was already up, cradling the baby.  
“Morning, James. Did you sleep okay?” Lyn asked him around a yawn.  
“Good morning, Lyn. Happy Christmas Eve. Slept like a baby, thank you,” he greeted, with a smile and a nod at the baby snuggled against Lyn’s chest.  
“Help yourself to coffee or tea and breakfast,” she told him. “Tim and I would like you treat it as your home and us as family, so help yourself to whatever you like. There’s nothing important for tomorrow – or nothing that can’t be replaced.” She’d found his thoughtful contributions that he’d brought yesterday, a few bottles of drink, some biscuits, chocolates and pastries and crackers, and knew they had plentiful food in the house.  
“Well, thank you, Lyn. Would you like a drink?”  
“Ooh, a tea would be lovely, thanks, love.” She stood up, cradling the baby over a shoulder. “I’ll just go and settle Holly back down.”  
James pottered in the kitchen, making himself a coffee and Lyn a tea. He found one of the boxes of biscuits he’d brought, and laid some out on a plate, then set them on the table, ready for Lyn when she came back.

 

By the time Robbie got up, a bit later, James had already made breakfast for Lyn, Tim and himself, and was on his hands and knees, playing with Maddy. They were making a marble run, and James kept pausing to pull silly faces at her, which made her explode into laughter.  
Tim was valiantly attempting to attach Christmas lights to the banister, and Lyn was chasing bits of Lego out from under the settee. Tim’s parents were also joining them for Christmas, arriving later that evening, and so she was undergoing a frantic final clean-up of the house. James had already dusted the front room, and swept the kitchen floor, and now was entertaining Maddy while Lyn had a final tidy-up. Robbie made himself toast, and stood, unnoticed in the doorway, watching as James, the marble run now packed away, helped Maddy do a dot-to-dot, which turned out to be Father Christmas. He watched Maddy look up at James with absolute love and adoration shining on her little face.

 

 

James proved to be a godsend that Christmas, and Lyn said to Robbie in private that she was so glad he’d brought him. “If he’d not been here, we'd never have got half as much done.”  
Lyn took Maddy and Holly upstairs later while Tim gritted the front path in deference to the icy temperatures forecast for that evening and James vacuumed through the house and Robbie nipped to the supermarket for last minute supplies, bread and milk.  
James went to Tim later, while he was polishing the picture frames in the hall.  
“Tim, where will your parents sleep?”  
Tim appraised the stricken look on James' face. “Oh – we had the attic converted into a bedroom. They'll stay in there, as there's a double bed.” He gave a smile. “Don't worry, James. You're not kicking anyone out of a bed. Yours would have gone spare.”  
James nodded, and his face cleared – but not completely.  
“Was there something else?” asked Tim.  
“Well I was just wondering what time will your parents get here? When will we eat tonight?”  
“Oh, um, my parents are arriving by train; their train gets in at 5.30 and I'll go and pick them up in the car so we'll be back here about 6 and we'll eat straight away. Is there something you wanted to do?”  
“Well it's just I thought I might go to mass at 7pm and midnight. I haven't been for years because I've been working, and I noticed the church in the next road as I drove in yesterday. Will that be alright?”  
“Of course. We should be finished eating in time and it's only a 5 minute walk.” He smiled at James.

 

 

Tim went off to pick his parents up just after 5pm, while Robbie, James and Lyn prepared tea. When Tim arrived back with his parents, Lyn and Robbie went to the front door to greet them, Lyn cradling Holly and Robbie with Maddy on one hip. James remained in the kitchen, setting the table, and smiled as he heard the cheery voices at the door.  
As they entered the kitchen, James was setting wine and water glasses at each place.  
“Oh hello!” said Tim's mother, a smallish woman with silver curly hair. She was clutching a bottle of red wine. “And who are you?”  
Tim's father arrived behind her, followed by Lyn and Tim as they crowded in.  
“Carol, this is James, a friend of my dad's. James, this is Carol and George, Tim's parents.”  
“Happy Christmas,” James greeted them, blinking. He'd been expected to be introduced as Robbie’s sergeant, demoted to the role of work colleague, or even bagman.

  
They all sat down to dinner, then at 6.45, once the plates were all stacked in the dishwasher, James quietly excused himself, and wrapped up in his coat, before slipping out of the house.

  
When he returned an hour later, he found them all sat round in the living room, chortling with laughter at a story George was telling about his previous days as the manager of a bakery. Maddy was sitting on the floor beside her mother’s knees, colouring. She’d been allowed to stay up a bit later as it was Christmas Eve, and as he walked in, rubbing his hands against the cold of the winter night, Lyn looked up. “Alright, love,” she smiled, glancing at the time – a little bit after 8pm. “Oh, Maddy, I think it’s time you went up to bed, darling.”

  
Right on cue, Madeleine gave a huge yawn and snuggled further into her fluffy dressing gown. “Come on, sweetheart, we’ve got to go and get the carrots and mince pies for the reindeer, eh?”  
A great fuss was made over laying out a mince pie, 4 carrots for the reindeer, a bowl of water and a glass of whiskey, and Maddy excitedly set the tray down beside the Christmas tree, before ceremoniously bidding goodnight to everyone in the room, before Lyn trooped her off up to bed with promises of a visit from Father Christmas.

  
Slowly the rest of the group filtered off to bed, starting with an exhausted-looking Lyn, and then George and Carol. Tim was having to stay up – “Father Christmas duty,” he told them with a wink. At around 11.30pm James stood and stretched and looked at his watch.

  
Robbie looked up. Tim was in the kitchen, loading the last of the glasses into the dishwasher and loading it. “James, lad, do you, erm…do you mind if I come with you to Midnight Mass?”  
James paused, looking surprised. “Oh. Erm, not at all, of course. I…I didn’t think you went in for Mass.”  
“Well, I…I used to, as a lad, up in Newcastle. Thought I might give it a try this year, just to see. And, erm…it’s important to you. I’d like to understand things that are important to you. Because you’re important to me.”  
Blotches of pink appeared high on James’ cheeks, and he ducked his head.

 

 

When they got back from Midnight Mass, Tim was still up, arranging presents underneath the Christmas tree. He had a look of delight on his face, like he was loving being Father Christmas. As they watched, he produced a boot-print stencil and a pot of black chalk dust and left sooty footprints leading from the fireplace to the Christmas tree, and then leading from the Christmas tree towards the stairs, getting fainter.  
Together they carefully bit the carrots so just the stalk ends were left, and Tim knocked back the whiskey – after pouring Robbie and James their own glasses – and they all had a mince pie, before bidding each other goodnight.  
“Merry Christmas, Robbie,” James said as he lay in bed, looking over at Robbie in the darkness.  
There was a smile in Robbie’s voice as he replied, “Merry Christmas, James.”


End file.
